As the population grows and the number of electronic devices used per consumer increases, power consumption increases accordingly. While utility companies, such as electric utilities, may increase the supply of electricity by bringing additional generators online, there are limits as to what may be achieved on the utility side of the supply and demand for electric power. In this regard, a demand response (DR) signal may be sent to consumers (e.g., in association with their electronic devices), requesting their participation in a demand response event. During the demand response event, a participating consumer (e.g., a consumer who has opted into the demand response event) may change power consumption or usage, such as by postponing tasks that would otherwise require electric power.
By postponing these tasks, the load on the electric utility may be reduced. In other words, participation in the demand response event enables utilities to adjust the demand for electric power rather than adjusting the supply for electric power. Participation in the demand response event may be verified by a sub-meter on location. Consumers may be compensated for their participation in the demand response event, such as with incentives or reduced rates, for example. However, if demand response signals are not received, this may result in the consumer being unable to participate in the demand response event, costing the consumer their incentives and the utility company an additional load on the electric grid, which is undesirable during the demand response event.